some thoughts on pleasure

The chief end of man is not happiness, in the sense that we are to seek pleasure at any expense.

Ultimately, this life, regardless the level of pleasure one attains, still ends in a death of rot and decay.

Life is apparently a short trial, an obstacle course run. Earthly life is short, whether 10 or 90 years, in comparison with the unfathomable eternity to come, be it in Heaven or Hell.

We who are still typing or reading or breathing should count it joy and a blessing that we are still here. God has a purpose, for good or for bad (our choice) to use us for the furthering of His kingdom. Our choice to follow and learn, and from here to serve and share, is the difference between death and perfection.

The story is written. It is as if the visions and notions and voice that we sense is his direction is but a dream of the future life. He wrote it, we are in it. We are to seek that glimpse of guidance and make the choice to press on.

All life in pursuit of pleasure is doomed to fail. Each new obstacle is seen merely as a barrier to the pleasure that I have worked so hard to enjoy.

What of our occupation? To what end our striving and conniving for position and influence and salary? Material gain? The broad grin of smug self-satisfaction? All is selfishness and pointless. Should not our jobs, if not directly an in-your-face ministry, be but vehicles by which we obtain the resources to further God’s kingdom and purpose?

What’s wrong with pleasure? Nothing.

God wants us to experience pleasure. But God has such an awesome pleasure in store for us that the so-called “pleasure” of this temporary trial is not worthy to be considered. We hold this pleasure as sacred and fight to keep it. Instead, thankfulness for the moments of pleasure during the trial is perhaps more accurate. But ultimately, no earth-born pleasure fills the insatiable void. Closeness to God, through attentiveness to the Holy Spirit, guiding us to reach out to others in their emptiness—that is the call.

And to that call God answers with Heaven and perfection and resurrection and redemption and salvation and Grace. A reward none of us could ever come close to earning…and the fruit of which will prove so much more than fulfilling, so much more than we’ve ever imagined in our wildest, most beautiful dreams of snow-crested mountain hideaways.

If we don’t imagine Heaven as being so amazingly terrific and rewarding I cannot see the benefit for such a trial. Without such an awesome reward, I cannot see childhood cancer as the by-product of a caring God…I cannot see bouncing back from the death of a child as a choice worth considering…I cannot support the delay of any gratification that the heart can conjure.

ERIC:

"Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your hearts." - Psalm37:4

"Yes Lord, walking in the ways of your truth, we wait eagerly for you. For your name, and your renown are the desires of our souls." - Isaiah 26:8

"The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever." - Westminster Shorter Catechism. (By the way, the "and" could also rightly be "by" instead. Man's purpose is to glorify God by enjoying Him.)

Piper says, "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him." AMEN!

God is our treasure. Not His gifts. He is the treasure! For God to give anything less would prove Him to be unwise and unloving.

God would be unwise because He would not know that He is of ultimate value - So He gives Himself.

God would be unloving to with hold that which is best for us - So He gives Himself.